Trent Park House of Secrets

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Trent Park House of Secrets 📣WE ARE OPEN! 📣A new museum for London. From glittering 1930s social hub to WWII surveillance centre - an untold story of espionage and deception.

Our aim is to create a world-class visitor attraction to highlight the vital role played by the Secret Listeners who were behind some of the most important intelligence discoveries of World War Two. Visitors will travel through magnificently restored and furnished rooms – Sir Philip Sassoon’s socialite and political world – to reveal the later clandestine operation against Hitler’s top military commanders. The highly secretive, yet fascinating role the house played in WWII is what really sets it apart. Its role was so secret in WWII that the official files have only been released in the last few years. Trent Park was requisitioned by the War Office (and run by MI19, a branch of MI6) to be used as a very special prisoner of war camp for some of the most senior captured German officers – including 59 German Generals. Highly sophisticated room-bugging, eavesdropping and passive manipulation techniques were used for the very first time to gain vital intelligence to assist the war effort. The results of this clandestine operation were highly successful and intelligence gained included valuable information on German U-boat tactics, bombing raid radar system technology and some of the first evidence of war crimes and atrocities, including the mass killing of Jews. Intelligence discovered for the first time changed the course of the war when the German generals discussed amongst themselves Hitler’s “secret weapons” programme – the V1, V2 rocket, and his atomic bomb programme. Little did they know that the secret listeners were recording their conversations. Much of the historical significance of Trent Park has only recently come to light with the declassification of documents as recent as 2004 – the importance of this site is only going to grow over time as the nation realises its significance for winning the war alongside Bletchley Park.

One house. A hundred years of secrets.Join author at 1.30pm on Wednesday 14 October for a tour inspired by her book Tre...
08/10/2026

One house. A hundred years of secrets.

Join author at 1.30pm on Wednesday 14 October for a tour inspired by her book Trent Park House: A Century of Secrets. Sue will be signing copies afterwards, and the book is on sale in our shop.

No special ticket needed: just book a regular entry ticket timed for 1.30pm!

Science and history collide! has uncovered a link between one of its 18th-century Fellows and Trent Park House. Rupert...
07/10/2026

Science and history collide!
has uncovered a link between one of its 18th-century Fellows and Trent Park House.

Rupert Baker, Library Manager at the Royal Society, found the connection on a visit to the House. He has written about it for the Society's blog.

In 1779, George III gave his royal physician, Sir Richard Jebb FRS (1729-1787), a 99-year lease on 250 acres of the royal estate at Enfield. It was a thank-you for saving the life of the King's brother, the Duke of Gloucester, whom Jebb had treated in Trento, Italy. Jebb named his new estate Trent in memory of it.

His biographical record says of him: ‘Doctor of Physic and Physician to St George's hospital. [A] Gentleman of great merit, & well versed in various branches of usefull learning’

In the 1890s the house was substantially rebuilt in the Victorian style. When Sir Philip Sassoon inherited it, he loved the landscape but not the house. In the 1920s he began transforming the mansion into the elegant country retreat that hosted the social world of the interwar years.

Today the restored House is open as a museum, telling the stories of the many people who have shaped it. Book your ticket today!

Read Rupert's blog: https://royalsociety.org/blog/2026/09/secret-enfield/


📷 courtesy of the Royal Society

News of the museum is travelling far and wide!Since opening, we've been featured across the UK press, including , , ...
05/10/2026

News of the museum is travelling far and wide!

Since opening, we've been featured across the UK press, including , , , Express and many others. But recently its the flurry international press which is super exciting!

Our story has been picked up around the world, from the , Le Figaro in France and Times of India, to RND - RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, a network of German newspapers reaching millions, and even one of Argentina's leading papers, LA NACION.

That last piece brought us one of our most memorable visits yet, from an Argentine couple who travelled all the way from Buenos Aires, drawn by the story of the listeners. These are the moments that remind us why this story matters, and why it resonates so far beyond the UK.

There's good news closer to home, too: we've joined the Observer Culture Club, so members can enjoy 2-for-1 tickets from 1 October until 31 December. Find out more via the link in our bio.

Whether you're travelling from Buenos Aires or Barnet, we'd love to welcome you to the museum!

Book your visit | trentparkhouse.org.uk

02/10/2026

The table is set, and we’re ready to welcome Damian Collins to Trent Park House of Secrets this afternoon!

At 3pm, Damian will lead a special Charmed Life tour, taking visitors through the extraordinary life of Philip Sassoon - in the very rooms where he lived, entertained and made history.

Damian is the author of Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon, and copies of the book will be available to buy and have signed by the author today.

🎟️ Free with a museum ticket
⏰ 3pm today
📍 Trent Park House of Secrets

No need to book - just come along!

Step into the world of Sir Philip Sassoon with former MP Damian Collins, author of Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of...
30/09/2026

Step into the world of Sir Philip Sassoon with former MP Damian Collins, author of Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon, who will lead a tour of our state rooms on Friday 2 October at 3pm - exploring the glittering social world Sassoon created at Trent Park, and the remarkable guests who passed through its doors. Damian will be signing copies of his book afterwards.

Charmed Life - a tour with Damian Collins | Friday 2 October | 3pm

It's the first in a full programme of tours and talks running throughout October:

🔹 A Century of Secrets - author Sue Elliott leads a tour named after her book on the House's hundred-year story. 14 October, 1:30pm (book signing afterwards).

🔹 From Country House to Listening Station - volunteer and former BBC Russia Analyst Stephen Dalziel traces the House from Sassoon's country retreat to its wartime role listening in on captured German officers. 14, 21 and 28 October, 3pm.

🔹 Sir Philip Sassoon's World - a 30-minute guided tour from Sassoon-specialist David Page MA. 16 October, 2pm.

No special ticket needed for any of our tours - just book a regular entry ticket timed for the relevant slot!

Full details on our website | Book your visit at trentparkhouse.org.uk

Step inside our recreation of a mess room for the M-Room operators and personnel, tucked away in one of our basement roo...
29/09/2026

Step inside our recreation of a mess room for the M-Room operators and personnel, tucked away in one of our basement rooms.️

Food was strictly rationed in Britain during the war, and the Secret Listeners were given normal army rations - but the POWs received better food and were even provided with w**e, spirits and ci******es! Most of the items you see here were sourced, often at auction, by our wonderful curator, .

Want to know more? Watch our interview with Tori, where she looks back at journey to bring Trent Park House back to life.

# behindthescenes

📸 James O. Davies

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Why not join us for a special tour of the House this Saturday at 3pm...
24/09/2026

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Why not join us for a special tour of the House this Saturday at 3pm!

History teacher and volunteer room steward, Lisa Bevan, will be giving a tour covering the House's two very different lives: first as Sir Philip Sassoon's country retreat between the wars, then in WWII, when it became a secret listening station.

Lisa is locally based and Head of Upper Sixth and Higher Education at Winchmore School in Enfield, just a few miles from the House.

🎟Two Lives of Trent Park House tour | Saturday 26 September, 3pm | No special ticket needed, just a regular entry ticket timed for 3pm.



📸James O. Davies

24/09/2026

A new wartime story is revealed.

This is our Trustee - actor and comedian@helenlederer - who has been closely involved in the campaign to save and resto...
21/09/2026

This is our Trustee - actor and comedian@helenlederer - who has been closely involved in the campaign to save and restore Trent Park House.

She also has a very special and personal connection to the House: She is the granddaughter of Secret Listener, Ernst Lederer!

Helen is pictured holding medals belonging to Ernst, which are on loan to us from her and her family 🎖️

Behind each of these small pieces of metal is a wonderful story. Ernst fought and was wounded for Austria-Hungary in WWI, then years later found himself working in British intelligence during WWII at Trent Park House. Honoured in exile by the Czechoslovak government for his role, and eventually naturalised as a British citizen for his service.

You can see Ernst's medals on display at Trent Park House | Book your ticket today!



📸James O. Davies

🎙️Our Oral History project is in full swing, with over 16 volunteers trained and recordings already underway! Do you hav...
18/09/2026

🎙️Our Oral History project is in full swing, with over 16 volunteers trained and recordings already underway!

Do you have memories of Trent Park House which you’d like to share? Or are you interested in getting involved as one of our volunteer historians?

We'd love to hear from you! Get in touch via [email protected]

Sharing Stories: Connecting Trent Park House with Enfield’s Communities is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to record more memories of Trent Park House.

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Trent Park House, Daffodil Crescent
London
EN40PS

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